MACAO’S reputation for serving quality cuisine has jumped a few more notches with news that 19 restaurants earned star ratings in the recently released 2017 edition of the “Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau”.

While the Grand Lisboa’s two premier restaurants – Robuschon au Dome and The Eight – maintained their three-star billings, Chinese eatery Feng Wei Ju and Japanese restaurant Mizumi jumped from one to two stars.

Feng Wei Ju specialises in Chuan-Xiang cuisine, a spice-heavy cuisine from the regions of Sichuan and Hunan and one of the eight major cuisines of China.

Mizumi is helmed by three renowned Japanese chefs and flies in fresh produce from Japan daily.

Their elevation meant that Macao now boasted five restaurants with the two stars, the pair joining the established Golden Flower, Jade Dragon and The Tasting Room.

Food for thought is that the one-star rating list grew to 12 with three Cantonese restaurants – Lai Heen, Ying and Pearl Dragon – earning the star for the first time.

Among those listed was Lord Stow’s Bakery, renowned for its creation of Portuguese-style egg tarts. Fong Kei Pastelaria, which has sold pastries for more than 120 years, and Mok Yee Kei, where durian ice cream is said to have originated, also made the grade.

“With the opening of new international hotels such as The Wynn Palace, Studio City and The Parisian we can see a few more restaurants aiming for star ratings,” said Helen Wong, general manager of the Macao Government Tourism Office (Australia and New Zealand).

“Early next year, we will also see the highly-anticipated Louis XIII open, along with the MGM Cotai, thus offering more restaurant options worth considering,” she said.